Family Reunion Part 5 by Jrockit

 

Disclaimers: See part one for disclaimers. Sorry for the long wait!!!

 

Xena and Gabrielle arrived in the middle of the Amazon camp to see Galendus sparring with Xenon. Both young men were concentrating hard, and Xenon had the upper hand. He was using a staff--Gabrielle's influence on his young life--and was knocking the crud out of Galendus.

 

"What's going on?" Xena demanded, shoving her way through the crowd up to Solari. "Sol...What happened?"

 

The Amazon warrior shrugged. "I don't know, Xena." She explained. "I honestly don't. Thalia said something about this boy here talking about Solan, and he must've said something to get Xenon upset."

 

"We'll put a stop to this." The warrior princess growled, walking right up to the battling young men and grabbing Galendus by the ear. He howled, dropping his sword. Xenon had seen Xena come up and bowed aside. He was breathing hard.

 

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Xena demanded. She dragged him away from the crowd. "And what do you know about my son? If you know what's good for you, talk now boy." Xena had a tight grip on his ear.

 

"A-all right." Stammered Galendus. "It was all his idea! Really! Solan told me.."

 

Xena instinctively dropped Galendus. "Solan is dead." Her voice was tight, her expression pinched.

 

"Xena?" Gabrielle questioned, hurrying over to her mate. "What's happening? You--" She said, gazing at the boy. "You're the one who was outside my quarters last night."

 

"Spit it out." Warned Xena.

 

"Solan isn't dead." Galendus whispered, more afraid of Xena than anyone else. He trembled in her gaze. She was truly scary, like a Harpy straight out of Tartarus!

 

"Solan's not dead?" Came a soft voice. Thalia had walked up to them, an odd look in her bright blue eyes. "But I saw his body...where is he?"

 

"I...I can't tell you." Galendus said. "I promised. But he is alive, I swear it to you. Please believe me...don't kill me." He was near tears and hated it.

 

"We're not gonna kill you." Xena snarled. "We're gonna use you as bait." That's all she would say as the Warrior Princess dragged the scared young man back to the Queen's hut. She headed to the weapon's cabinet, making Galendus' eyes widen, then relief showed in them as Xena reached for rope. She found a chair and tied him in it with knots only Ares himself could undo.

 

"He won't come."

 

"Yes he will." Xena knelt down so she and the young man were on eye level. "If you're lying to me, you will be in trouble. I warn you this now. But if Solan's alive, he'll come. Trust me."

 

"Mother?" The dark haired warrior turned to see her daughter walk into the room. "If Solan's alive, we gotta find him. We got to." Memories of spending time in the Amazon Healer's hut after Solan's death came back to Thalia.

 

"Oh Thalia." Xena embraced her daughter, kissing the top of her forehead. "We don't know if this is some sort of trap, or what." She explained. "Why don't you go back to the breakfast hut and get something to eat?" She suggested.

 

Thalia pulled out of her mother's embrace. "No!" She rasped. "If Solan's alive, I am going to find him!" And before Xena could stop her, Thalia took off running as fast as her feet would allow her.

 

**

 

Thalia didn't stop until she was outside the Amazon village. If she kept going, she'd wind up in Corinth, the village she, Xenon and Solan had grown up in. Centaur land. But that wasn't where she needed to go either. Thalia went down a path few people knew about and came to a stop in front of a cave.

 

Her heart beating painfully, Thalia stopped. This was their hideout. The twins and sometimes Xenon as well had come out here to play. She hadn't been back here since the funeral...years ago. Tears came to sparkle in her blue eyes as conversations drifted through her mind.

 

"When I'm grown up, I'm going to have an army. You can be my second in command."

 

Thalia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the voices. More recent conversations came back to her.

"Wouldn't it be cool if Xena was our mother?" Solan had been so close to the truth. Thalia had echoed this opinion...and later, found out that it was the real thing. "Did you see how she fought? All fast, a blur!"

Thalia walked along the side of the cave, and knelt down in the earth. She felt around for the spot, and found a small black iron box. She pulled it up, as it was just covered by rocks. Thalia opened it, finding the twin's 'treasure box'. Solan had pretended to be Hercules, and Thalia had always been Hypolita, the brave Amazon warrior. Ephiny had told her about Hypolita. Inside were some dinars, a fillet band to wear, some neat looking rocks and the necklace Xena had given her when she and Gabrielle had came by for a visit. It was a purple amethyst hanging from a leather rope. Xena had said it was once hers, and now it was Thalia's.

 

That was before Thalia knew Xena was her mother. She moved some more treasures aside, finding their father's ring. Solan's favourite. Kalipus had given it to him. It was a thick gold band, with a sapphire inside. It would fit a grown man's pinkie, but it only had fit Solan's thumb. He wore it with pride though. She picked the ring up.

 

"Solan." She whispered, near tears again. "I miss you so much." Thalia placed the items back in and set them back into the hiding place. She rose, and suddenly tensed, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. "Who's there?" She demanded, proud of herself for learning Xena's trick.

 

"Thalia." Said an unfamiliar voice. "It's me, Solan."

 

**

 

"Where is she, Xena?" Gabrielle worriedly asked. The breakfast hour had long since passed, and there was no sight of Thalia.

 

Xena was just as worried as the Queen. "I think I know." She said gravely. "Ephiny told me of this spot where the children used to play."

 

"Let's go." Gabrielle picked up her staff and was ready to find her daughter. "Lead the way."

 

Xena headed past the village, and saw the footprints in the barely trodden dirt path. Thalia's. "She's here." She told the bard. Gabrielle's face was a mask of relief. The two women passed through shrubbery that would be easy for children to go through. Or those not yet fully grown. Xena stopped, seeing her daughter facing the back of a young man.

 

Xena reached for her sword. "Thalia!" She exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

 

Thalia looked past the young man, towards her mother. Her eyes were bright, and her expression happy. "Mother...it really is Solan!" She exclaimed.

 

The young man whirled around, facing Xena. He was slightly older, but had the same blue eyes. His blonde hair had darkened. Xena dropped the sword. "Solan?" Whispered the Warrior Princess, the stoic mask she wore crumbling.

 

"Mother..." Xena quickly embraced Solan. She didn't care how or why her son was back. He was just back. She knew it was him, she could tell by the blue eyes, the soul that shone through them. That was enough for now. They would find out the real story later.